Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-12-08
Daley HERALD
GRETTlE RUZELLE.
Continuation of the Test.
mony Against Her.
THE OLD TALES RETOLD.
How She Poured VitOiOl on the
Face of harles K. Petrie-
Crowded Court Room.

w. L. Gibson was the hrSt witness
called. He testified as follows: l live
at 20 Bernard street, this city. l lived
at 129 College street. l knew the Ro-
zelles and Mr.. Petr;e on May IL, 1887.
know the house where they lived. l
made plan OF the house short time
before the first trial. Witness was
here asked to explain to the jury a
submitted diagram. He pointed out
the position of the different pieces OF
furniture in the room). My sister
lived in the house. l was rooming
with my sister the 18th Of May last.
On that day was lying upon the
lounge in the sitting room. l heard
something stumbling down stairs. l
went to the stairs and saw Mrs. Ro-
zelle standing at the bottom OF the
stairs. lacked her what was the mat
ter. She said that man insulted her
| went out and saw Mr.. Petrie stand
ing in front Of the house. lie
said, "My God; that woman ha-
thrown something in my face"
1 told him l supposed it was vitrlol,
and took him by the arm and led him
to a sink at the back OF the house.
where washed his face and wiped all
the acid off l could, then took him
upstairs and got his Chat and sent
him to doctor. My attention was
attracted by the noise on the stairs:
1t was three or four hours afterward
before saw Mrs. Roze'l lie. Thee was
no one in the house except myself,
MIR. Petrie and Mrs. Rozelle. l came
up from the city about O'Clock, en-
tered the back door and went to the
lounge and laid down. | knew it was
yitriol on Mr.. Petries face for the
reason that have used it frequently
f, in marking tools. experimenting, etc.
, 1t burned Petrie's face and
caused it to turn white. 1t
commenced ON his forehead, ran
down over the middle Of his
face and dropped off on his clothing.
When we went upstairs after the
trouble l saw no one, but heard foot
steps in Rozelle's room. have eX-
perimented on diluting vitriol with
water. NV experience has been that
if large quantity is quickly applied
to the acid it increases the heat, but
if slowly diluted it dimini>hes it. The
Rozelle room was about Is by 13ls
feet. (Witness here pointed out on
the diagram where holes were found
inthe carpet in the room.) exam
iDed the room on the evening of the
n ~ DA.1l1, ,,I txa.
husband in the sitting-room about
four hours after the trouble happened.
They both came to the door Of the
parlor where my sisters. myself and sew
eral others we're sitting. In converse
ton with us Mrs. Rozelle said: threw
vitriol in MIR. Petrie's face, and l
hope to God it will blind him for life.
My sister asked what they had been
doing while she was away, and they
responded as l have stated. Mrs.
Martin, who was in the room,
asked her what she had such stuff in
the house for. She said, ITO throw
on Petfe." Mr.. R,zelle sad ii his
wife had fixed Petite as he h I'd told
her 10 he guess ed he would not insult
another woman very soon.
CRoss-ExAMINATIoN.
Il was in Mrs. Rozelle's room once
prier tothe trouble. / vent in to play
of chequers.- The same carpet was
on the floor when | examined the
room which was there on the 18th.
The burnt places we're so large one
could not help noticing them. | did
not notice any spots on any Of the
furniture. There was none on the
rOcking chair. Most OF the
holes were between the fout
OF the bed and the bureau.
When.I saw Petiie in front OF the
house he was standing near the gate
with his eyes closed and the acid drop
ping off on the ground. He was in
his shirt-sleeves. | heard no noise in
the rooms above, while lying on the
lounge, until | heard the noise ON the
stairs. think if IA scream had been
uttered | could have heard or even
heavy walking.
Tie witness was here asked whethe
il there had been a noise, a cross be-
tween the croN ing OF rooster and
the bayiug OF build z, he would
have heard it. Objected TO.
1he attorney here exhibited copy
Of the Tribune, stating that in re-
port of the evidence on Tuesday such
an expression OF noise was said to
have been made.
The Court stated that newspapers
were neither evidence or authority in
this trial.
Oil OF vitriol has a strong affinity
for water, and when combined quick
ly it makes strong heat and has Il
quicker action.
MR.. X. C. MARTIN,
Testified; my husbands name is
Ruther ord. Iresided at 1919 College
street in May IL, 1887. My brother
lived With us. Mr.. and MIS- Ro-
zelle and Mrs. Petrie roomed with me
at that time. ! was not at home at
the time OF the trouble. come home
about 6 p. NJ. that evening. About an
hour after that, Mr.. and Mrs. Ro-
zelle came to the door OF the parlur
where my brother and my son we're.
They asked me where Mr.. Petrie was.
/ tol them did not know, and asked
them what they had been doing Will
] was away. Here the witness re-
lated tine conversation testified to by
Mr.. Gibson.
At this time, it being II o'clock,
the Court took recess until Up. NJ.
Judge Cheney, remarking that was
his purpose to hold short sessions on
account Of the i'll conditions of the
Courtroom and the necessary strain
which he, with participants in the
trial, were Obliged to undergo on
account of the noise and combustion
In this connection it may be truth
fully said that Los Angeles has only
one Courtroom fit to he occupied a.
such. Judge GARDENERS department
is only passable, and on account 81
the character of the cases, which do
not draw the pub ic. Judge
and Huiton's rooms are
such that it is possible to exist in
fI,nu, a felv hours Witnou. going out to